Lot 272: 1930 Brough Superior 998cc SS80

While equalling a Rolls-Royce for quality of construction and finish, in spirit the Brough Superior was more akin to the sporting Bentley. In its maker’s own words, the Brough Superior was ‘a type of machine designed from the experienced solo rider’s point of view.’ To prove the point, Brough lost no time in demonstrating his machine’s capabilities in the most attention-grabbing way possible - by racing at Brooklands. Introduced in 1922, the JAP-powered SS80 (so-called because of its guaranteed 80mph top speed in road trim) achieved instant fame when a stripped-for-racing version (nicknamed ‘Spit and Polish’) ridden by George became the first sidevalve-engined machine to lap the Surrey track at over 100mph. Even more surprising was the fact that this landmark figure had been achieved on its maker’s Brooklands debut. That particular Brough Superior SS80 - subsequently re-christened ‘Old Bill’ - went on to win 51 out of 52 races contested, only failing in the last when a tyre burst.

This superb, matching numbers (registration/frame/engine) standard-model SS80 comes with Brough Superior Club copy build sheet recording that it was supplied new via Falles Garage in Worthing. The accompanying old-style green continuation logbook (issued January 1970) records the owner at that time as none other than William Stanley ‘Bill’ Gibbard, of Chingford, noted Brough collector and author of ‘Maintaining Your Brough Superior’. The only other owner listed is one Leonard Frederick Sanger, of Bournemouth, Hants, who acquired the machine in June 1977. Various insurance documents on file show that in 1994 the Brough was owned by one Victor Norman, of Cirencester, Gloucestershire, from whom it was purchased by Brian Verrall in October 2004. The accompanying (copy) previous Swansea V5C document records the owner immediately prior to Victor Norman as one Robert Roland White, of Poole, Dorset. In addition to the aforementioned documentation, ‘TV 2416’ is offered with two expired MoTs (1977-1978 and 1994-1995); assorted photographs and current Swansea V5C registration document. (It should be noted that the latter incorrectly records the frame number as ‘9981’).